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Security breaches at MoD up 40% in 2015, says UK defence minister


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BBC

The UK's Ministry of Defence saw a significant spike in security breaches last year, the government has confirmed.

Figures released in Parliament on Friday revealed that security incidents—including "cyber attacks"—had rocketed almost 40 percent in 2015. Defence minister Mark Lancaster said that the MoD had recorded 2,145 breaches last year, compared with 1,547 in 2014.


Enlarge / Table shows number of security breaches at the UK's Ministry of Defence, sans breakout figures for "cyber attacks."

MoDLabour MP Kevan Jones asked the under-secretary of state, in a written parliamentary question, to disclose unauthorised entries to military bases, thefts or losses of classified material, other security breaches, and successful Internet-based attacks on the Whitehall department.

However, on that final request, the minister declined to offer a breakdown. "I am withholding the information on successful cyber attacks on the Ministry of Defence's systems for the purposes of safeguarding national security, and as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces," said Lancaster.

The minister added that the MoD treated all security breaches "very seriously," and said that initial risk assessments were carried out for all recorded incidents. However, the department only takes action on what Lancaster said was a "proportionate basis."

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